Category: new book

Ice Inundation Intelligence

Pleased to announce the release of both the paperback and Kindle versions of my latest book. Number seventeen of the future history that is Machine Civilization.

As with many of my other books, I am hoping to have it ported to Smashwords in a week or two, depending on how many times I bang my head against a brick wall for their kludgy interface,

***

Canada is dying. In a new ice age, one by one, their cities are falling. They occupied the empty US Midwest but Quebec wants out and the Russian Army is coming into their central provinces from the west. Leading a scout unit to divine the Russians’ intentions, Lt. Eloise Patel is captured and tortured, then rescued by the love of her life, Centurion Bob Hardt. The politics point to a three-way war.

Mars is being reborn. Terraformed by the Polar Alliance, the northern hemisphere is an ocean. But the Second Inundation has many worried. There to keep an eye on things, Empress Faustina and one of her sons stumble across an ancient alien artifact – and vanish.

While the politicians bluster and threat, Hardt, Patel, and Sgt. Sergei Konev of the Russian Army try to keep a peace on the ground and between one another and their three nations.

***

Book 17. Part Four. 4

Taking the advice of a fellow writer, I am just going to bull ahead with this and worry about head-hopping and formatting later. I had fretted myself into a standstill and that’s worse than writing dreck.

So, this is very, very raw. Raw-er than usual. One of the things I do not like as how I shoehorned the demon’s cart into this installment. I know he crops up in about three or four installments, but I needed the foreshadowing. I’ll fix it later.

With Imaginarium coming up in less than a week, I’ll be busy packing, buying food and booze, completing my very rough outline for the panel I’m hosting (I noted several assistant panelists have been added; I hope one hour is enough time), so I’ve doubts about completing the MS. But, you never know… this Part is going to be moving very fast.

And, yes: I just made up “the Three R’s.” I’m proud of that.

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Book 17. Part Four. 1

Getting back into the swing of things for this final section. As the events take place over only two days, I think it will be shorter; perhaps about 10,000 words. There may be an epilogue but I have not gotten that far.

Going back to Part One, Sergeant Major Sergei Konev of the Imperial Russia Army is back as our main character, but another shows up almost immediately. Like an invasive weed, Reina has to make an appearance, too.

More Monday. Try to have a good weekend, y’all.

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Book 17. Part Three (end). 25

We reach the end of Part Three, the story from Eloise’s point of view. About a page of notes for the concluding Part Four, but as I mentioned, I’m off to LibertyCon in two days and being sober and on my best behavior shall be my primary objectives. What posting I do shall likely be related to the Con itself.

What’s below is dark, but being is prison is. Fortunately, it looks as if Aurie’s modifications took. It’s now a race between Bob getting back to Earth and when the kangaroo court decides to have El shot.

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Book 17. Part Three. 18

For my loyal, book-buying readers, this is not Ninon’s first speaking role. We’ve seen her twice in two other books but she has a role to play in my novella. She is a Machine very interesting in finding more of her own kind in the stars; but, every now and then, a human’s plight seems to tug something of the the fourth law in her.

After my blitz on Sunday, I’ve enough for posts this week. I saw an odd image yesterday and it is compelling me to write a story around it. A story about a world already over.

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Book 17. Part Three. 17

I wrote about half of this on Saturday and once again ground to a halt. I went to Mass extra early Sunday morning to first pray then open my mind. About 2500 words poured in.

I also – finally! – realized the way of my stupid “six month” box I’d built for myself. As you’re read here, I was wondering what will Eloise be doing for five of those months? And then it hit me, like a two-ton heavy thing, why six months? That was just a completely arbitrary time for how long Robert and Kali were gone. I still want him gone awhile, for reasons, but now it’s closer to three months. That I can work with.

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Book 17. Part Two. 10

Well, here I go. There is this entry then one more, covering Bob’s rescue attempt. But as we’ll see, is it really a rescue?

I’m about 3,000 words ahead, just at the close of Part Two. Notes are ready for Part Three. It’s been a long time since I have had first-person-female-normie. This should be interesting.

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Book 17. Part Two. 7

Interesting to learn that the imperium has factions in it, as well. Makes sense: any politics leads to factions. However, without any electoral system, would that scale up into parties or remain dissident cells?

Also, I think for the first time ever, there is a mention of India in my future history. I know Europe and China, and Mexico has annexed Southern California, southern Arizona, and western New Mexico, but India and South America are a blank to me. Perhaps Eloise can tell us more in Part Three.

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Book 17. Part Two. 6

Filling in some details about who is who and where they are. While I’m a “pantser” not a “plotter,” I do like to know where the pieces are on the board before all the action breaks out.

The line, “Did you just make that up right now?” is precious. And, yes, I run with it. Full credit goes to my wife; when I was musing about where take the story, she said: “they stumbled into a stargate. Happens all the time.”

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Book 17. Part Two. 5

A new day brings new surprises. Aurie literally drills down into Eloise’s head to get better intel on where the two missing persons are. Hopefully Kalí was listening.

Otherwise, I do wrap up one hanging thread from the end of “Regent,” formalization of Aurie’s and Jimmy’s relationship.

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